Right to Be Forgotten: Removing Information About a Conviction (UK)
Last reviewed: June 2026. General information, not legal advice.
In short: in the UK you can ask search engines like Google to de-list (hide) web pages about you from searches for your name — the so-called “right to be forgotten” under UK data-protection law. It is not absolute: requests are weighed against the public interest, and recent, serious or high-profile convictions are far less likely to be removed than old, minor or spent convictions. De-listing hides a page from name searches; it does not delete the original article. You can also ask the website owner to remove or update a page, and complain to the ICO if a request is refused.
What the “right to be forgotten” actually is
Under UK GDPR you have a right to erasure / to object, which lets you ask search engines to remove specific URLs from results for searches of your name. Google and other engines assess each request, balancing your privacy against the public’s interest in the information. It mainly affects search results, not the underlying web page.
What makes removal more or less likely
| More likely to be de-listed | Less likely to be de-listed |
|---|---|
| Old information | Recent events |
| Minor matters | Serious offences |
| A spent conviction | An unspent conviction |
| A private individual | A public figure / public role |
| Inaccurate or excessive content | Accurate court reporting in the public interest |
How to make a request, step by step
- List the exact URLs you want hidden from searches of your name.
- Submit a removal request to each search engine (Google and Bing both have online forms), explaining why the information is no longer relevant.
- Ask the website owner directly to remove, update or anonymise the page — this is the only way to take down the source itself.
- If a search engine refuses, you can ask it to reconsider and complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), which can review the decision.
Convictions and the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act
Once a conviction is spent under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act, you generally no longer have to disclose it for most purposes, and that strengthens a case for de-listing old search results. It does not, however, automatically erase news articles or court records, and it does not apply to roles requiring enhanced checks.
Common misunderstandings
- Thinking it deletes the article — de-listing only hides a page from name searches; the page stays online.
- Believing it is guaranteed — it is balanced against the public interest and is often refused for serious or recent matters.
- Assuming court reporting can always be removed — accurate, public-interest reporting is hard to remove.
- Forgetting the source — to remove the page itself you must ask the website owner, not just Google.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get a news article about my conviction removed?
You can ask the publisher to remove or update it and ask search engines to de-list it, but accurate public-interest reporting is often kept; spent, old or minor matters are more likely to be hidden.
Does the right to be forgotten delete the page?
No — it mainly removes the page from search results for your name; the page itself remains unless the owner removes it.
What if Google refuses?
You can ask it to reconsider and complain to the ICO, which can review the refusal.
Related guides and official sources
See criminal records and employment and prison law. Official: the ICO on the right to erasure and Google’s removal-request process.
